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Through 5 2/3 innings, the Yankee pitchers kept the Phillies off the bases. That is until Wilson Valdez smacked a line drive homer off Hector Noesi, a shot that landed over the left field fence at Steinbrenner Field. That blow ended the combined perfect game the Yanks’ hurlers were compiling and plated the only run for the Phillies, as the Bronx Bombers went on to beat them 7-1 this afternoon in an exhibition.

In the bottom of the second Eduardo Nunez crushed a three-run home run deep to left field off starter Roy Oswalt, giving the Yankees a 3-0 lead. Curtis Granderson came up to the plate the next inning and pulled a two-run shot over the left field fence, and the Yanks took a 5-0 lead.

Oswalt was pulled after 2 2/3 innings pitched, and he gave up five runs (three earned) on four hits. He walked no one and struck out three.

In the bottom of the fifth, Jorge Posada singled to plate Brett Gardner. Later in the frame, Granderson scored on an RBI single off the bat of Eric Chavez, giving the Yankees seven runs.

A.J. Burnett started for the Yankees and did not give an inch. The lanky right-hander tossed three perfect innings without allowing a walk. He only had one strikeout, but it was a big one. Burnett whiffed brand name first baseman Ryan Howard.

So far this spring Burnett has tossed five scoreless innings.

Notes & Things to Look Out For

·Obviously A.J. Burnett is doing something right, at least to this point. I mentioned after his first start that he looks like a different pitcher, and it’s the truth; his delivery and arm angle are not the same. His different look gives me a sense of confidence in him, because he didn’t have a good spring like this last year. In fact, I believe I made a remark last spring saying, “His numbers this spring are worse than Joe Biden’s mouth.”

·On a side note about Burnett, he tossed 45 pitches and 30 were strikes. He is demonstrating command – another positive. He looks as though he will be OK, but he is still a work in progress and he’s got a long way to go. Baby steps.

·Jorge Posada laced a double in the bottom of the third, and came around to score on a single by Eric Chavez. Oh wait…he actually didn’t. Posada missed the base and pitcher Vance Worley (who relieved Roy Oswalt) appealed at third and Posada was called out. It helps to touch the base when you’re running. It’s a general rule.

·Nick Swisher made a stellar catch in the top of the fourth to rob Placido Polanco of a hit. In foul ground, Swisher bent over the bullpen railing to make the catch, then front-flipped into the Yankee bullpen. He held on for the catch. It kind of reminded me of July 22, 2009 – the day Swisher ran up the right field wall at Yankee Stadium to make a fantastic catch, worthy of the highlight reel. I was at that game and the crowd went nuts. Everyone loves Swisher.

·Right after Swisher’s catch, Jimmy Rollins chopped a ball off Chavez’s glove at first. He stayed with it and flipped the ball to Joba Chamberlain, who actually covered the base. The big man got to the bag in time, getting Rollins out. Score that crazy play 3-1. It looked more exciting than it sounds.

·Speaking of Joba Chamberlain, he had a good line today: one inning pitched, no hits, no walks, and no strikeouts. It was a step up from his outing on Saturday against the Washington Nationals: one inning pitched, two earned runs on two hits, two walks, and no Ks. I hope this isn’t another up-and-down year for Chamberlain. Whatever Burnett is doing, he needs to do the same. Chamberlain’s ERA this spring is now 4.50.

·Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, and Alex Rodriguez did not play. Today was a split squad day (meaning there are two games; some players play in the first game and others play in the second). The regular infielders will play later tonight at the Orioles.

·What happened to Roy Oswalt today? He couldn’t get through the third inning. I think it was just an aberration for him, much like CC Sabathia’s poor start on Saturday vs. the Nationals (five runs in 2 2/3 innings). Against National League hitters this year, he’ll hold his own.

·Brett Gardner was 1-for-3 today with an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. He was hitting from the leadoff spot today and seems capable of that role. He will most likely have to improve his bunting if he wants to hit in the number one hole.

·I have the feeling the fifth infielder spot is going to come down to Chavez and Nunez. Today Chavez had three hits in three at-bats, knocked in a run and came around to score once. He is batting .471 as of press time. Nunez showed a great amount of power with his home run and he is averaging .286 at the plate so far. Ramiro Pena might be the odd man out, only hitting .063 so far. He will have to turn on the jets if he wants to make the team right out of camp.

·“Perpetual” Pedro Feliciano tossed a perfect fifth inning with two Ks. I get the feeling he will be the primary lefty specialist. Sorry Boone Logan.

·Curtis Granderson is batting .357 this spring and has hit two homers so far. He hasn’t even played in every game, and if his numbers are any indication, he is primed for a big season.

·Mark Prior pitched around a Pete Orr double in the eighth, not allowing a run. He didn’t walk a batter and he fanned one. As I wrote a few days ago, I am pulling for him and I want him to be this year’s big comeback story. He is a hard worker and I get the feeling he wants nothing more than to bounce back and help the Yankees. So far he is proving he can do it.

·Jesus Montero went 0-for-1 at the plate today and struck out, leaving a man on base. He hasn’t really had the opportunity to break out, yet he is still hitting .250. His counterpart Austin Romine will get the start at catcher in tonight’s exhibition vs. the Orioles.

·Former Yankee Nick Johnson signed with the Cleveland Indians today. I feel sorry for them.

·Tomorrow afternoon the Yanks will travel to the Wide World of Sports to visit the Atlanta Braves (the game will be broadcasted on the YES Network). Freddy Garcia will make the start for the Bombers.

·The Yanks are now 4-5-1 in Grapefruit League play. (Subject to change, pending the outcome of the game vs. Baltimore tonight)

Ramiro Pena’s grounder in the bottom of the ninth with two outs looked as if it had a one-way ticket to center field. If it had gotten through the infield hole, it would have tied the Yankees’ exhibition with the Red Sox tonight at five. Oscar Tejada made a great play to rob Pena of a game-tying single, ending the tune-up game and giving Boston 5-3 win over New York.

Tejada not only made the game-ending play on defense, but he helped out on offense, padding Boston’s 2-1 lead. In the top of the seventh he clubbed a two-run triple to give the Red Sox a 4-1 edge. They had scored earlier in the frame on an RBI single by Juan Carlos Linares, breaking a 1-1 tie.

The big night continued for Tejada in the ninth when he singled to score Linares, making it a 5-1 ballgame. Daniel Nava drove Tejada in to score in the sixth inning, accounting for Boston’s first run in the game.

Robinson Cano recorded his first hit of the spring in the bottom of the sixth, an RBI double which plated Pena. Before Pena made the final out, the Yanks tried to stage another comeback by scoring two runs. Jordan Parraz singled to score Austin Krum and Gustavo Molina drew a bases-loaded walk which plated Kyle Higashioka.

Bartolo Colon started for the Yankees and although he did not face most of the regulars, he put up a strong showing. The tubby right hander tossed three innings and scattered two hits while not allowing a run. He walked no batters and fanned five BoSox.

On the other side Clay Buchholz made the start for the Red Sox and also showcased good stuff. The 26 year-old righty pitched three innings and allowed only one hit. He walked two and struck out two.

Tonight the Yankees and Red Sox met for the first time in 2011 and there will be a lot more where that came from. The rivals will meet again on Monday March 14 in another exhibition and will of course face off 18 times during the regular season. Not to mention they have a good chance to square off in the postseason.

Things to Look Out For & Notes

·The Yankee starters are proving their worth. They have only allowed one run in the first 15 innings they have pitched this spring, and have registered 13 consecutive scoreless innings. So far they are probably making it difficult for Joe Girardi, since they have all been producing.

·Russell Martin caught behind the plate tonight for the first time. After the game he told the YES Network that he feels good and felt comfortable catching. At the plate tonight he struggled, though; he was 0-for-3 and left three men on base.

·In some bad new for the Yanks, Francisco Cervelli will be out of action for at least a month. The details of his injury became apparent and he has a broken foot. He worked hard in the off-season, slimmed down, and looked good through the first few games. But then he fouled a ball off his foot on Wednesday vs. the Astros, and now he can’t play for awhile. Tough break for such a great guy.

·Now that Cervelli is out of action, the chances that Jesus Montero makes the team are high. Contrary to what I originally assumed, Jorge Posada will not be catching at all this season, at least from the looks of things. That being said, this is Montero’s chance to impress and maybe make the team.

·Robinson Cano has been pressing to begin the spring, but finally broke out with an RBI double tonight. Good to see the real Cano finally come out to play.

·Alex Rodriguez was 2-for-3 tonight with a double, and he now has four doubles for the spring. His double tonight, on any other night or in any other ballpark, would have been a home run. The wind down there in Florida keeps pushing the ball back and he is just missing home runs. Wait until he gets back to New York. He won’t be missing many homers at Yankee Stadium.

·I cannot believe I am even saying this, but Bartolo Colon is actually pitching very well to this point. When the Yankees signed him the headline in the New York Post read, “Cheap Colon.” Right now, that Colon smells pretty good. He does need to lose weight, however. He looks out of shape and that can eventually catch up to an athlete.

·Yesterday I wrote about Mark Prior and what he has been through in his career. He impressed me tonight: one inning, no runs, no hits, one walk, two Ks. I am really pulling for him and I would like to see him make a solid comeback.

·Manuel Banuelos pitched tonight and once again put up a strong showing. He worked two innings and gave up no runs on one hit. He walked a batter and struck out three. The 19 year-old lefty will probably not make the team coming out of Spring Training, but he is unquestionably turning a lot of heads and raising eyebrows. He topped out at 96 on the speed gun tonight and looks way ahead of his age.

·I made a small comparison in my head tonight: before 2007 began the Yankees had three promising prospects – Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy. Here we are just before 2011 and we have Banuelos, Dellin Betances, and Andrew Brackman.

·Lefty specialist Pedro Feliciano pitched tonight, giving up an earned run on two hits. No walks and no strikeouts, but he did better than the other lefty reliever Boone Logan, who took the loss tonight. Feliciano might pitch more this season than Logan. When he was with the Mets, they gave him the nickname “Perpetual Pedro,” being that they used him almost every day to get the big left-handed hitters out.

·The Red Sox left most of their stars at home. Only Buchholz, Jed Lowrie, Jason Varitek and Josh Reddick made the trip to Tampa. Reddick had a great diving catch in left field to rob Cano of extra bases in the bottom of the second. I’m pretty sure Carl Crawford has that spot locked up, but Reddick could state a claim to be Boston’s fourth outfielder.

·Nick Swisher, Brett Gardner, and Curtis Granderson did not play.

·Actor Richard Gere threw out the honorary first pitch tonight. According to what they say, he is a big Yankee fan. I always liked that guy…

·The Yankees will face the Washington Nationals tomorrow and the Houston Astros Sunday. The next televised game is on Monday against the Phillies and A.J. Burnett will start that game.

You know it’s Spring Training when you witness what happened in the ninth inning of today’s Yankees vs. Houston Astros exhibition game. Down 5-1 in the ninth, the Yankees capitalized on some sloppy defense by the Astros and won 6-5 on the strength of a walk-off bases-loaded walk drawn by Russell Martin.

Martin scored earlier in the frame on a throwing error by Jiovanni Mier, cutting the lead to 5-2. Then Astros’ pitcher Douglas Arguello, who labored in the ninth, tossed a wild pitch allowing Daniel Brewer to score.

Melky Mesa came up and singled to plate Austin Romine and Jordan Parraz to tie the game at five. In the bottom of the second the Yankees scraped their first run across the plate on a RBI groundout to third by Andruw Jones, which scored Alex Rodriguez.

But the game was secondary. There were bigger pictures to look at coming into today:

A.J. Burnett

Obviously he was the biggest storyline coming into his first start of the spring today. A.J. Burnett had the worst statistical season a Yankee starter has ever had, going 10-15 with an ERA of 5.26 in 2010. In an interview before the game, Burnett said “he can never have another season like he did last year” and “he could throw fastball after fastball to every hitter this year and still do better.”

On Sunday it was documented that Burnett beaned Greg Golson in the head throwing batting practice. Faith may have waivered in Burnett after learning of his HBP to Golson on Sunday, but he quickly renewed his credibility with a good outing today.

Burnett pitched two innings and threw 21 pitches (15 for strikes) while only allowing two hits. He induced five groundball outs and recorded one strikeout. He did not issue a walk.

It was only Burnett’s first appearance of the spring, but there’s no doubt that he looks like a different pitcher. As Ken Singleton described on Saturday, his delivery has been “re-visited.”

Singleton was correct.

Today Burnett’s motion was smooth and he pitched the ball; he didn’t fling it. He didn’t turn his back to the batter as he normally does in his usual delivery. It was smooth and side-to-side, almost like Mariano Rivera’s delivery. He kept his front leg toward home plate and wasn’t swinging it around toward second base in the wind-up.

If today was any indication about the type of season Burnett might have, he just might be able to pull off a turnaround year. Burnett added that he wants to “close people’s mouths” about his ability to win games.

Maybe he can. We’ll have to wait and see.

Derek Jeter

The Captain only has two hits this spring and has been the subject of a lot of discussion lately. Analysts have been talking about Derek Jeter’s adjustment in his stride. So far he hasn’t shown much of that adjustment and has been frequently grounding out. He did have a hit today, although he grounded out to short and flied out to center.

Jeter himself has stated that his swing and batting stance aren’t going to change. He is simply eliminating the stride with his front leg. Today it looked like he used a bit of a toe-tap, something Bernie Williams used and perfected over the course of his career.

Joe Girardi said that eventually Jeter will get it right and make the adjustment completely. In the manager’s words, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

When it comes to Jeter there is very little to worry about. The Captain will come around. He is 2-for-9 at the plate to this point in the spring.

Notes & Things to Look Out For

Â·The Astros started a kid named Bud Norris (if that isn’t a name meant for someone in Texas, I don’t know what is. Notice the Walker, Texas Ranger reference. Norris!) It was revealed that his actual first name is David, but he got the nickname Bud because he was at a restaurant when he was a kid and his parents ordered Budweiser. He said he wanted a Bud (even though he was too young) and from there they called him Bud.

Â·Relieving A.J. Burnett today was Sergio Mitre. His line: One inning pitched, no runs, one hit, no walks, one K. He is working hard, I’ll give him that.

Â·After Mitre was Joba Chamberlain. He pitched an inning and only gave up a hit while not allowing a run. No walks and no strikeouts for him, but he looks pretty good this far. Like Burnett he still has to prove himself, though.

Â·Russell Martin didn’t even have to record a base hit to be called a winner. In his first game of the spring he had two at-bats, no hits, the game-winning walk, an RBI, and he left two men on base. He didn’t catch behind the plate, as he is still nursing his surgically repaired knee, but he will be back behind the plate eventually.

Â·Mark Teixeira went 1-for-2 with a walk and a double. After he came out of the game he went to the batting cages and got some extra work in. And that’s Tex for you: always looking for improvement and working hard. He is in mid-season form, batting .571 through the first five Spring Training games.

Â·Michael Kay compared centerfielder Justin Maxwell to Alex Rodriguez during the broadcast. Looking at Maxwell’s mannerisms at the plate and his batting stance, I understand where Kay was coming from. He did look like a miniature version of A-Rod. Maxwell drew a walk and recorded a base hit, but he did make the first out of the fifth inning at third base, trying to reach third from first on Jeter’s single. Rookie mistake: never make the first or third out of an inning at third base. I learned that in Little League.

Â·Francisco Cervelli fouled a ball off his left foot during an at-bat today in the second inning. He was noticeably hurt, limping before getting back into the batter’s box. He is likely to miss a couple of days and will probably undergo x-rays.

Â·Alex Rodriguez was 1-for-2 with a walk, a double, and a run scored. He is batting .429 so far this spring.

Â·2010 Pitcher of the Year David Phelps gave up four runs in the seventh inning after tossing a perfect top of the sixth. All four of the runs he surrendered were unearned.

Â·Hector Noesi (two innings pitched, no runs, one hit, no walks, and two strikeouts) registered the win. As noted, Arguello struggled mightily in the ninth (threw 37 pitches and was charged with five runs ) and as a result took the loss.

Â·The Yankees will play the Tampa Bay Rays in an exhibition tomorrow and then will come back to Steinbrenner Field Friday night to host the Boston Red Sox–which is the next televised game on the YES Network. Bartolo Colon will start Friday vs. Boston’s Clay Buchholz.

Following a 5-4 loss in the Grapefruit League opener, the Yankees beat the Phillies 7-3 in Clearwater this afternoon. The Yankees scored two runs in the fourth inning on a two-run, opposite-field home run hit by Curtis Granderson. The Yanks padded their lead in the sixth with four runs, started by an RBI double by Nick Swisher which scored Brett Gardner.

Later in the frame Ryan Howard committed a throwing error, allowing Jordan Parraz to score. Jorge Posada then doubled to score Granderson and top catching prospect Jesus Montero singled to plate Daniel Brewer.

Jorge Vazquez crushed his second homer in as many days in the top of the ninth, a solo homer to left field to give the Yanks their seventh run.

Ben Francisco knocked in all three of the Phillies’ runs. In the seventh he doubled to score Carlos Rivero and he crushed a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth.

Ivan Nova took the ball for the Yankees today and his line was strong: two innings pitched, no hits, no runs and two strikeouts. The Phillies’ fifth starter Joe Blanton got the nod and his line was also impressive: three innings pitched, no hits, no runs, a walk, and a K.

The Yankees will play Detroit in Lakeland tomorrow afternoon, but there were many storylines and a lot more to take away from today’s win over the Phils.

·In an off-the-field matter, we lost a legend today. Duke Snider, an eight-time All-Star and a two-time World Series Champion, passed away at the age of 85. He enjoyed a wonderful career playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants. Snider was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980. R.I.P. Duke.

·Ivan Nova will obviously be fighting for a spot in the rotation, and he made a strong case for himself today. Aside from Chase Utley, who is out with tendinitis in his right knee, the Phillies fielded many of their regulars today. Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, and Placido Polanco all started. Nova got many of them to groundout, pitching to contact. But his pitches were down and they had sink today. He looked great; almost reminiscent of Chien-Ming Wang a few years back.

·Dellin Betances pitched the fifth inning and demonstrated pretty good control, solid velocity, and accuracy. He struck out the side, albeit allowing a walk. But his fastball was moving, he used his breaking pitch effectively, and he showed a wicked knuckle-curve. He topped out on the speed radar at 97 mph. I can’t wait to see what else he has this spring.

·Jesus Montero was 1-for-3 with an RBI single today. He probably will not make the team right out of camp, as many are already noting. But if today is any indication, he will have a good year and probably see some time in the show.

·Jorge Vazquez’s home run may not have gone as far as it did yesterday, but he is making a really good first impression. Another home run today, this time to left field. He is now leading the Yankees in round-trippers this spring. Not bad for a player wearing number 94.

·It was comforting to see Curtis Granderson go “oppo” and smash a home run to left field. We really didn’t see that a lot last year and if he can adjust his swing and get around the way he did today, he will be a very dangerous hitter in 2011.

·Regular position players Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and Robinson Cano did not make the trip to Clearwater today.

·After the game, pitching coach Larry Rothschild spoke more about A.J. Burnett. He said last year Burnett looked like a “confused pitcher” but he is expecting him to come back with a strong 2011. He noted that” Burnett’s heart is in the right place” and he will get him in the right frame of mind to pitch this year. As mentioned yesterday, Burnett will start on Wednesday (March 2) vs. The Houston Astros at Steinbrenner Field–which is also the next televised game on the YES Network. All eyes on A.J.

·Sergio Mitre pitched the third inning today, giving up no runs on one hit. No walks and no strikeouts, but he did register the win this afternoon. He will be fighting for that fifth spot in the rotation.

It’s the same story ever year when it comes to the first Spring Training game.

The Yankees play the first game in their home pinstripes, but every game after that sport their navy blue batting practice jerseys. There are critics who say, “It’s Spring Training. Who cares? These games don’t matter.” Then there are so-called “marks” (like me) who say, “Baseball is back. It’s not exactly Opening Day, but we are watching a Yankee baseball game in the winter.”

There are players wearing numbers in the high 90s and contrary to regular season games, Spring Training games can end in ties. What’s more, by the time the game reaches the sixth inning, there’s usually no one but minor leaguers on the field.

Still, it’s baseball. And a lot of people remain interested in these exhibitions.

Today the Yanks began their Spring Training journey with a 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies…or basically Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, Raul Ibanez and a whole bunch of Phillies who will either be backups or start the 2011 regular season in the minors.

Most of the Yankee regulars played today, aside from Russell Martin–his knee is still recovering from surgery and according to Yankee skipper Joe Girardi, he might be behind the plate catching live by the end of next week.

Francisco Cervelli started at catcher today and got the Yankees on the board in the bottom of the second. After Robinson Cano reached on an error (originally ruled a base hit) Cervelli laced a double down the left field line to knot the game at one.

Mark Teixeira looked good in his first game with an RBI triple in the fifth to score Eduardo Nunez.

Minor Leaguer Jorge Vazquez had two hits, one being a bomb. Vazquez smashed a two-run home run over the batter’s eye in centerfield, which gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh. Unfortunately their lead was short-lived.

A blooper by Dan Sardinha in the top of the eighth off Eric Wordekemper plated two runs for the Phils and gave them a 5-4 lead.

The Phillies previously scored two runs in the fifth off reliever and 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, David Phelps. Pete Orr doubled to score Wilson Valdez and Orr later came to the plate on an RBI single by Ross Gload.

Jeff Larish grounded into a 6-4-3 double play which scored Ben Francisco to give the Phils a 1-0 lead in the top half of the second. Francisco tripled to reach third on a ball Nick Swisher could have played for a single.

Was it an ugly game? Yes, but most Spring Training games are. Are the Yankees looking to win? Yes and no. It’s more to get a feel for the season and to prepare, and even the most jaded fan can tell they are not “loading up with big bullets and guns,” so-to-speak.

Bartolo Colon got the nod to start by Girardi, who felt Colon would be ready to pitch since he played winter ball. Colon’s line wasn’t terrible: two innings pitched, two hits, an earned run, a walk and no strikeouts. He only tossed 36 pitches.

For Philly, Hamels made the start and his line was almost identical to Colon’s: two innings pitched, one hit, an earned run, a walk, and two Ks.

The Yanks and Phillies will travel across Tampa Bay and play again at the Phillies’ home base in Clearwater tomorrow afternoon.

Notes & Things to Out Look For

·The Yankees honored the late George Steinbrenner with a ceremony before their first Spring Training game today. Only fitting, considering it was their first preseason game without their boss. It was a beautiful gesture and I am sure the Steinbrenner family is appreciative of all the love the Yankees are showing their fallen boss.

·Ken Singleton of the YES Network said A.J. Burnett threw to hitters during live batting practice the other day and looked exceptional. According to Singy, Burnett’s fastball was “crackling,” his curveball had tilt, and his delivery “has been re-visited.” It sounds as if new Pitching Coach Larry Rothschild has helped him a lot and the season hasn’t even started yet. He will pitch Wednesday March 2 vs. the Houston Astros.

· It’s already been established that Joba Chamberlain will be a bullpen pitcher this season. He does look heavier, but he was pretty good in relief today. Chamberlain pitched a 1-2-3 third inning with one strikeout. He topped out on the speed gun in the mid-90s.

·David Robertson pitched a scoreless fourth inning with two strikeouts, no hits, and a walk. He and Chamberlain might be battling this spring for the primary middle relief role, what with Rafael Soriano in the eighth inning role. Either way, the Yankee bullpen will shape out. I think they will be a solid corps of relievers and probably be at the top of the league.

·Top pitching prospects Dellin Betances, Andrew Brackman, and Manuel Banuelos have been nicknamed “The Killer B’s.” All will be starting 2011 in the minors but can make that push for the bigs. Girardi said Banuelos is “way ahead of his age” (only being 19, but will turn 20 on March 13).

·David Phelps is a 14th round draft pick out of Notre Dame and the Yankees’ Pitcher of the Year for 2010. He didn’t really impress me much today, giving up two earned runs on three hits. But it’s only the first game. Lucky for him, he has time to impress.

·Alex Rodriguez hit a double today but didn’t score. He looks good and I expect him to have a typical “A-Rod season,” if you will. No need to overanalyze him.

·Andruw Jones played in pinstripes for the first time today. He drew two walks and struck out, and was also picked off at first base. He isn’t as fast as he used to be, but he will definitely be a better defensive player than Marcus Thames. Jones is wearing Johnny Damon’s old number, 18.

·The end of the top of the seventh inning today ended in style. Outfielder Justin Maxwell, who was acquired from the Washington Nationals in the off-season, made a sweet diving catch to end the frame. Very nice work from Maxwell; he could be a great asset to the Yanks. Or trade bait. Today I read Francisco Liriano is on the Yankees’ radar.

·When I said that Jorge Vazquez’s home run was a bomb, I meant it. He crushed the ball over the batter’s eye in centerfield–not a cheap home run. He also had a base hit in the ninth to keep the Yankees’ little rally alive, although they couldn’t finish it. If that isn’t making a great first impression, I don’t know what is. Finally, a guy named Vazquez doing something positive for the Yankees…

On Saturday the Yankees will kick off their Spring Training campaign in the Grapefruit League. It has been announced that Bartolo Colon, one of the Yanks’ off-season acquisitions, will start Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Joe Girardi said Colon is starting because he pitched Winter Ball and he’s more likely to be ready to pitch to another team.

Colon is 14-21 with an elevated ERA of 5.18 since 2005. Is he even going to make the team in 2011? We’ll see. It depends on how he performs throughout Spring Training. Nonetheless, he is a question mark.

When he arrived at camp, Colon was noticeably overweight, as was Joba Chamberlain. The 25 year-old righty said he set up a gym in his house to work out in over the off-season. Chamberlain was billed at 230 lbs. during the 2010 postseason, but it has been said he is undoubtedly heavier now.

Can Chamberlain get his weight down and possibly get back to his flame-throwing 2007 form? Another question and we will have to wait for the answer.

CC Sabathia–who may or may not opt out of his contract at the end of this upcoming season–was said to have lost 30 lbs. coming into camp. Yet, that claim was later refuted by Yankees’ General Manager Brian Cashman. Earlier this month at the B.A.T. dinner, Cashman saw Sabathia and remarked that it didn’t look as though he lost any weight; that he still looked to be around 300 lbs.

Where are we, anyway? Yankee camp or the Biggest Loser?

All of these questions led Hank Steinbrenner to, in not so many ways, call out the Yankees’ “hunger,” or will to win, so-to-speak. Yesterday he came out publicly and said that last year the team was “too busy building mansions” and “they celebrated the 2009 World Series too much, not focusing on winning.”

Was Steinbrenner correct in his statement? Well, yes and no. There’s no denying that toward the end of 2010 the Yankees became complacent. In September of ’10, the Yankees had a losing record of 12-15, and they were swept by the team that eliminated them in the American League Championship Series (Texas Rangers) during a four game losing streak.

Obviously they did lose their focus and it carried over into the final round before the World Series. However, the Yankees did win 95 games during the regular season and 100 overall. But even that was not enough to stop the rolling Texas Rangers team.

Derek Jeter was one player most people thought Steinbrenner was referring to, at least in terms of the mansion-building remark. The Yankee Captain built a large, multi-million dollar home in Tampa last year. However, Steinbrenner went on to say he wasn’t singling out any individual; he was not targeting Jeter.

The Captain’s response? In typical Jeter fashion he shook it off and laughed about it, as reported by the beat writers today. According to reports, Jeter (while laughing) said, “My name didn’t come out of his mouth. I think it was a plural thing, not directed at me.”

Girardi added that Steinbrenner was simply expressing frustration; the same frustration everyone within the organization had, not repeating as World Champs last year.

While the air may be cleared on that subject, the Yankees will have to regain the focus lost in last year’s ALCS. But can they do it?

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